Marlyn Mason
Medford, Oregon, United States
Actor/Writer Extraordinaire who has kissed Elvis!
<p>My career was born the same day Diane Sawyer popped into the world, Dec 22, 1945. It was Saturday and my Mum was no doubt listening to me rehearse the lyrics to Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The little church we attended was having its annual Christmas program and I was to sing the Coots/ Gillespie holiday song (recorded for the first time in 1934). Truthfully, all I remember is the applause and thinking with my 5 year old brain that that’s where I wanted to be, in front of people, showing off and belting my heart out. With my parents support (as long as I practiced) I sang my way thru my developing years at civic functions, contests, jubilees, church socials, you name it, winding up in 1949 on the Doye O’Dell Show. I was 9. My payment was a small bucket of popped corn which I shared with my classmates the next day.</p> <p> </p> <p>I sang Berlin’s CAN’T GET A MAN WITH A GUN: photo of me (right) in my felt costume. I was</p> <p>called for a second appearance and here I am (below) in another felt costume for I LIKE THE</p> <p>WIDE OPEN SPACES (my imitation of Laurie Anders who never blinked)! More corn in a bucket. </p> <p>Being a “personality” singer I had a myriad of costumes, all to fit the story of the song. Some of</p> <p>them are included at the top of my “PORTRAIT” page. Mildren Kubler was the designer and very</p> <p>talented seamstress. My pianist was Dorothy Aiton. </p> <p> </p> <p>Both my parents deserve a mention for without their support who knows how my life journey</p> <p>would’ve unfolded.</p> <p> </p> <p>My father provided the money for lessons and costumes and my always encouraging but never</p> <p>“a stage” mother drove me hundreds of miles from San Fernando to Hollywood until 1956 when I could drive myself.</p> <p>It must be pointed out that it was “before freeways” and sometimes the traffic was grueling. I have no recollections of Mum ever complaining.</p> <p> </p> <p>1954/55… I was cast in two splendid musical productions at the</p> <p>Player’s Ring Theatre in Hollywood, TOM SAWYER </p> <p>and HEIDI. I was also cast in the Ring’s productions</p> <p>of PICK UP GIRL and THE CRUCIBLE. </p> <p> </p> <p>1956…My TV acting career began with 5 MATINEE THEATRES; </p> <p>Dennis Hopper, Constance Bennet, Margaret O’Brien,</p> <p>Keith Andes are a few of the “names” I played</p> <p>opposite. </p> <p> </p> <p>1958/59/60…during these years I appeared in episodes of </p> <p>PONY EXPRESS and FATHER KNOWS BEST. </p> <p>Edmund O’Brien’s short lived series JOHNNY</p> <p>MIDNIGHT is the first show listed on IMDB. Note: </p> <p>Mr. O’Brien and I were sitting in a golf cart waiting to</p> <p>shoot a scene and he said, out of the blue, “Don’t ever</p> <p>start drinking”. There was a sweet sadness about him and</p> <p>I had no idea of his struggles with alcohol.</p> <p> </p> <p>IMDB starts off my resume with JOHNNY MIDNIGHT so I shall end this brief history with it. </p> <p> </p> <p>Please, if you have any questions hit the CONTACT ME button on the Contact page and leave a message. I might not answer right away but I will answer.</p>
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